Back catalogue: Ambient/Drone

Review: Three years ago, Giuseppe Tillieci and Filippo Scorcucchi joined forces as LF58 for a debut EP of blissful ambient epics on Auxiliary that arguably didn't get the coverage its quality deserved. We have a sneaking feeling that the pair's debut album, which lands on the fantastic Astral Industries imprint, won't go unnoticed. For starters, it's brilliant, with the four lengthy tracks seeing them drift between Global Communication/Irresistible Force style melodic positivity (the hazy effects, huggable pads and echoing melodies of "Iniziazione"), ultra-deep, psychedelic dub techno ("Rituale", where simple melodic refrains wind in and out of sparse but hypnotic beats), swelling tropical ambient warmth with added deep space effects ("Metamorfosi") and the kind of languid, slow-motion fare that sits somewhere between Pete Namlook and Spacetime Continuum (side D suite "Evocazione/Contatto/Risveglio").

Review: Monolake's 'Gobi' is a cult classic that has never actually be available on vinyl before. It was first put out on CD only in 1999 but now Astral Industries present it on wax, licensed from Imbalance Computer Music.It features just two long pieces that are "set to the backdrop of the Gobi desert in eastern Asia." The music captures that milieu with synths skittering over the moonlit dunes, murmuring tectonic plates down low and vivid textures and masterful minimalism all taking your mind on a real trip.

Review: Space Opera by Pianeti Sintetici, released on the renowned Astral Industries label, embarks on a cosmic journey split into two parts. Conceived by Italian artist Davide Perrone, the project imagines the creation of synthetic worlds through sound. Part one and two merge seamlessly, narrating an expansive voyage of cosmic exploration. Through intricate sound design, the album crafts a tapestry of intergalactic atmospheres, offering a tactile and spatial experience. In the depths of space, ethereal drones and otherworldly transmissions coalesce, creating a vivid sonic landscape. Modular synthesisers and intense audio manipulations breathe life into the composition, guiding listeners through the enigmatic realms of alien worlds. Space Opera is a stunning odyssey that invites audiences to immerse themselves in the mysteries of the cosmos.

Review: Ambient specialists Astral Industries have yet to put a foot wrong, so it's little surprise to find that their latest missive - a label debut from Bernard Zwijzen AKA Sonmi451 - is another must-have release. "Nachtmuziek" gathers together six overlooked tracks from the Belgian's sizable back catalogue, offering a neat introduction to his work for those who may have not come across his often ultra-limited releases for the likes of U-Cover and Time Released Sound. Highlights are plentiful throughout, from the Pete Namlook style gentle pulse of "Probe", the crackly, harp-laden "Outer Shell", to the sumptuous chimes of "Inner Structure" and becalmed, slowly unfurling "Bay Hatch".

Review: Uwe Schmidt - he of Atom Heart, Atom TM and Senor Coconut fame - has used an insane number of aliases over the years, so you'd be forgiven for not knowing about the sole album he produced as Dots. It first appeared on CD way back in 1994 and has long been considered something of a slept on classic by '90s ambient fans. Here it appears on vinyl for the very first time courtesy of Astyral Industries, a label that knows a thing or two about unearthing forgotten ambient treasure. Stylistically, there are hints to some of Schmidt's other work - a dub bassline here, an abstract motif there - but for the most part the becalmed and beguiling soundscapes have more in common with the work of German ambient legend Pete Namlook.